Tickle Wars
by brucksbabe
Summary: Qui-Gon, Xanatos, and Anna, the young daughter of a friend of Xanatos’ father, play around one afternoon.


Title: Tickle War Author: Bruck's Babe Rating: G Summary: Qui-Gon, Xanatos, and Anna, the young daughter of a friend of Xanatos' father, play around one afternoon. Author Notes: This piece is the first in a short series of moments from Anna's childhood to help readers understand her before I begin writing a series I hope to take from JA #1 all the way to Episode 1.  
  
"Anna get back here!" Xanatos DuCruet ran past his Master and down the hallway of their shared quarters, laughing. He turned around and raced back, picking up a small, giggling girl no more than six years old. He began to tickle her and she struggled, laughing, as her long curly ginger hair flew around her face, blocking her eyes from sight.  
  
"Xani stop please I promise I'll do anything please stop!" The little girl called out through her giggles, struggling to get away from teenager. He only laughed and continued to tickle her mercilessly. Suddenly, he found himself swept off his feet. His Master deposited him on the couch and began to tickle him. Anna shrieked with joy, "Yay Quiggy! You saved me!"  
  
"Master, please! Stop! This isn't fair!" Xanatos found himself struggling as Anna had only moments before, powerless through his laughter to escape his Master's clutches.  
  
"I'll stop if you promise to leave Anna alone. Deal?" He tickled his apprentice just a little bit harder, laughing as he spoke.  
  
"Deal! Deal! Deal! Please stop!" Qui-Gon stopped and Xanatos rolled onto the floor, doubled over as he fought to stop laughing. Anna and Qui-Gon stood over him, watching in amusement as he struggled to his feet. "Two- against-one-isn't-fair!" Xani gasped, still short of breath.  
  
"Pick on someone your own size, and I won't have to rescue her," Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn looked down at his padawan, remaining remarkably straight-faced as he spoke. Xanatos just shook his head and sat down on the couch.  
  
Anna jumped into his lap and put her arms around his neck. "I wuvsu Xani!" she proclaimed. Xanatos hugged her back, pulling her head to his chest, and Qui-Gon smiled. Those two are so cute. Qui-Gon thought. I've never seen Xan be so gentle or loving with anyone else. Qui-Gon thought back to the first day he'd met Anna, and how she'd won a place in his heart the first time he'd seen her.  
  
// Xanatos and Qui-Gon had just returned from a mission together, and had headed straight to the Room of A Thousand Fountains to relax. Their hopes for a peaceful break were shattered when they realized that a group of small children, not one over the age of three, were playing in the grass.  
  
Xanatos smiled, "Looks like we've got company." His master nodded, resignedly. He did not like children, and preferred to deal with them only when it could not be avoided, but if his Padawan wished to stay, they would. Their last mission had been hard on the boy, and he had seen things a twelve year old should never see. He needed a chance to relax, and perhaps the innocence that surrounded him in these children would ease both their troubled souls.  
  
"I wonder if Anna is here. She's the daughter of an old family friend, and I've been meaning to introduce you two for some time," Xanatos scanned the crowd as he spoke, looking for a certain ginger haired little girl. He didn't have to look long. A small girl, about two years old, threw herself at Xanatos' legs, nearly knocking him over.  
  
"Whoa Anna! Slow down. I've missed you too," Xanatos picked the girl up and held her close in a tight hug, obviously glad to see her. "Master, meet Anna. Anna, this is my Master Qui-Gon Jinn," Qui-Gon smiled and reached out solemnly to take the little girl's hand. She shook the proffered hand and giggled in delight.  
  
"Quiggy!" She pronounced. He didn't realize it then, but she would call him that for years, long after she outgrew her childish nicknames for her other "big friends", and he wouldn't have it any other way. The crèche master called all of the children back to her to return to their rooms, and Xanatos set Anna back down, kissing her forehead in farewell. She kissed his cheek, and before he could set her down leaned over and kissed Qui-Gon as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He recovered from his surprise quickly, and repeated Xanatos' gesture, kissing the top of her head.  
  
"Bye bye! Come visit me Xani! Bring your master! The little girl yelled over her shoulder as she ran to catch up with her class, tripping over her foot and tumbling down the hill, laughing all the way.  
  
"That was odd. Anna is usually quite afraid of strangers. I've never seen her respond so immediately and so openly to a new adult. I expected her to hide herself in my cloak like she usually does," Xanatos smiled at his Master in amusement, "I've also never seen you react so well to a child that age. You weren't stiff or cold at all."  
  
"Shh! Don't tell anyone! You'll ruin my reputation," Qui-Gon laughed at his apprentice and the two headed to one of the fountains to meditate. //  
  
Qui-Gon went into his room to work on some papers he needed to fill out as a result of their last mission, and completely forgot about the kids for a couple of hours. When he finally finished his report, it was after eleven. Deciding to check up on his Padawan before he went to bed, Qui-Gon walked into the living room and was surprised by the sight that greeted him. Xanatos was asleep on the corner of the couch, head on the armrest, both arms wrapped around a small bundle. Said bundle had her arms wrapped around his waist and her head buried in his chest. Qui-Gon smiled and went into Xanatos' room to find a blanket. Returning with a dark blue fleece throw, he tucked the two children in; careful to make sure Anna's head was above the top of the blanket.  
  
"Those two... I should probably call the crèche and tell them where she is," Qui-Gon headed to the comm station and called the crèche, carefully explaining that Anna was asleep on Xanatos and that he didn't want to wake either of them up.  
  
In the crèche, Master Kicklo shook her head and smiled as she ended the transition, "Clati-Anna Kenobi, what am I going to do with you?" 


End file.
